2012 Games parade details announced

Sep 5 2012

Details of the homecoming parade to celebrate the achievements of Scottish Olympians and Paralympians have been announced.

The athletes, including six-time gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy, will be honoured with a parade on September 14 through the streets of Glasgow, the host city for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Beginning at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in the west end, the parade ends with celebrations at George Square. Athletes and their guests will then attend a reception hosted by First Minister Alex Salmond in the nearby Old Fruitmarket.

Most of the Scottish Olympians and Paralympians had confirmed their attendance, including Sir Chris, rower Katherine Grainger, swimmer Michael Jamieson, and cyclist Neil Fachie, organisers said.

Sport Minister Shona Robison said: "We saw some remarkably talented Scottish athletes compete in this year's Olympics and achieve a record-breaking medal haul. The Paralympics have now got off to a great start, with many medals already on the table.

"This is exactly why people from all over Scotland should come to Glasgow to watch the parade, celebrate our athletes' achievement in style and give them the homecoming parade they truly deserve."

Louise Martin, chair of sportscotland, said the celebrations are a "fitting tribute" for all the Scottish athletes.

"Scotland is rightly proud of our athletes who delivered the highest medal tally in the history of the Olympics and have already secured 10 medals at the Paralympics, surpassing the eight won four years ago in Beijing," she said.

Two days later Sir Chris will be awarded the freedom of his home city, when Edinburgh welcomes back its Olympic and Paralympic stars. The cyclist, Britain's most successful Olympian who won two golds at the London Games, will receive the honour after joining other sportsmen and women on an open-top bus tour through the city centre.

Hoy will officially receive the freedom of the city during a private ceremony at the Assembly Rooms. It will make him one of the few living recipients of the award which is also held by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, Sir Sean Connery, Nelson Mandela and Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi.